


Melted Like Ice Cream

by floralNINJAchan



Series: RWBY Kidz [4]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Modern AU, childhood AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-14 23:36:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7195835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floralNINJAchan/pseuds/floralNINJAchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roman never trusted what pretty girls had to say, and the most dangerous ones don't say a word.</p>
<p>{Fluff-esque fic of a young Roman and Neo. <br/>Ages aren't too young but not too old; somewhere in elementary school.}</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melted Like Ice Cream

**Author's Note:**

> This one is rather short and was a little hard for me to figure out but I think it's a cute/fun idea so I did it haha. Hope y'all enjoy!!!

He hated her smug smirk. And her stupid mix-matched pigtails. And the fact that she seemed to trick everyone with her "cutesy" act. Then again, he was pulling the same thing. He just couldn't stand that she seemed to be better at it...

He was used to older ladies tussling his bright orange hair and telling him how he was such a "little gentleman". Whenever he would stop by the local sweets shop, the owner would always gift him a lollipop. In the six years of Roman Torchwick's life he had had everybody fooled into thinking he was a decent boy. 

He would comb his hair back and call those ladies cows as he counted the lien he'd pocketed from them. With his free lollipop, he'd smuggled seven more in his backpack as well as some bubblegum cigarettes. And when it came to tricking grown ups, he was the best. Get into a 'fight' with another kid? Fall back, cry, and let the rest play out. Don't want to spend money on lunch? Bump into a bunch of kids in the lunch line 'accidentally' for some coin. 

Roman learned quickly how the world worked; you use what you've been given in life to take what you don't have. And for the rest, you keep learning and adapting so you can survive just a little longer. Whether it was something small like a good fake smile and laugh, or something bigger like picking pockets and swiping scrolls from the other kids, Roman had his own system at life that worked. Gears meshing and turning the way he wanted. There was a cog out of place, however. And that was Neopolitan.

She'd joined their class a few days ago and everything seemed fine at first, at least for Roman. Neo, as she preferred to be call as she had scribbled that in her large pink notebook, was mute. That meant she couldn't talk without writing it down (there was always signing but she wrote that "it was just easier for everyone", and then she signed something no one understood). Roman questioned why she hadn't been placed in special needs, but then remembered how crazy their school was. He figured it wouldn't have made her education any better than it would have been with a teacher that could "properly" talk with her. Plus, it made it easier for the little girl to, which Roman quickly caught on, insult anyone and everyone to their face. Neo could be very creative with her insults. 

Only after the first day, Roman's classmates and teachers completely fell for her act. Her smile was sweet, and her size and dress were inviting. He had never seen a more plastered on poker face. She just seemed too darn 'adorable'. The little boy contemplated pouring his juice over her head to see if she melted... But then that would break his own facade. 

Roman had his suspicions about the new student from the start. From his experience, girls were really smart and really good at tricking people into doing what they want. And considering Neo had a pretty face and extremely nice handwriting (with her heart dotted 'I's), she was good at convincing others for her own agenda. After less than a week, she even had some of the most hard to persuade on her side. And Roman started getting a little less believable...

It all started when the lunch room had its monthly 'ice cream social', where they would sell the frozen treat instead of forcing a healthy fruit dessert. Roman had been 'borrowing' some loose change from some people on the city bus, and was looking forward to an orange cream sickle. He had been the first out the classroom and first in the lunch room to get in the front of the line. At least he though he was, until he saw a small annoyance in front of him. Neo rocked back and forth on her toes, looking fondly up at a fudge pop. Roman watched impatiently as she rummaged through her small pink purse. Her eyes widened slightly and tears seemed to form. She turned to face Roman square on and looked longingly into his eyes. If he didn't know any better, he would have been fooled. She took a sparkle pen and mini notebook from the purse and wrote:

"I left my money at home. Could you buy it for me?"

Roman blinked, tried hard not to scoff something snarky, and just shook his head. Not liking that answer, and seeing some more students trickling in, she more forcefully shoved the message in front of him. Her eyes lost the shimmer of faux tears and showed a bit of fire. She clearly was shacking Roman Torchwick down for his lunch money, and did not take kindly to his defiance. All she got was a more firm, slower shake of his head and a just as fiery gaze. 

Neo tore out the notepaper and shoved it down her shirt. Then stepped out of the way, eyed the lunch lady's turned back, and then fell backwards into the floor. Her body made a harsh thud sound that gained the attention of the room. Her silent sobbing gathered a small crowd. A teacher was called and asked the child what had happened. Hands shaking, she wrote:

"Roman took my money and pushed me."

The last letter trailed off the page as she continued crying and hugged her knees. The teacher, at first finding it hard to believe, decided to side with the mute girl. It was her 'word' against his. And if Roman knew one thing it was that in a "he said, she said" argument the weaker party wins by default. Last Roman checked, he was a boy and could talk. In front of the other students, the boy was forced to hand over his (rightfully stolen) money to the girl. Her eyes peered up from her knees as she cautiously excepted the money. Neo's face still looked distraught but her eyes screamed smug victory. 

Before being escorted to the office for the first time, Roman signed something to Neo. Her eyes went as big as saucers. She didn't expect anyone to know sign language, especially know words you couldn't find in an average basic beginners' textbook. Neo's eyes went back to their 'timid' state as she watched the orange haired boy shuffle away.

Things calmed down with the occasional "you ok?" from her classmates. Handing over the lien to the lunch lady, the mix-matched pigtailed girl enjoyed her ice cream as she sat down. She face twisted into a sour smile.

"Burn in hell, ice cream brat," he'd basically signed to her. 

She flipped open the notebook from her purse and scribbled down the boy's name. And then proceeded to scratch it out multiple times and doodled little blood oozing hearts around the writing. Neo finally found a new 'friend'.

\---

After an awkward talk and an equally awkward phone call to Roman's 'aunt', he waited outside the office on the bench. He fidgeted in his seat for what felt like hours. He'd counted all the ceiling tiles from the water fountain to the nearest classroom, hummed almost every song he knew, and almost fell asleep in his seat. That is, if he hadn't almost suffocated from someone holding his nose, forcing him to gasp for air. That someone was Neo.

"What do you want?" he asked as the girl sat next to him.

She handed him a piece of paper, obviously wanting him to read it. Seeing as he was pretty much going to have a bad day regardless, it wouldn't kill him to read it. Though he really just wanted to throw it basketball style into the closest recycling bin. He may be a troublemaker but he wasn't evil. Trees deserve better than being wasted. Forest fires are the exception because those are scary cool.

He unfolded the page to find what looked like a hastily scribbled "contract of partnership". 

"Roman Torchwich," it began. "You, as I have noticed and by research, are much like me. We are very good at getting what we want, but without them either thinking it was our idea or even noticing we took it. You are a sneaky, conniving, and almost heartless person. I like that. Instead of hating each other and you getting in trouble, how about we become partners? I don't say friends because being friends with a boy is gross. At least at this age. Maybe in a few years I'll let you be my friend, if you're not sent to some military school and they shave off your ugly hair." 

Underneath the 'peace treaty' was her signature and one of those check box things. "Yes" and "No" were his only options. Roman gave it along good read through once or twice more. Not only did it praise him for his talents but also made sure to insult him. He looked up from the page to meet Neo's eyes. They had that fire in them again but this time paired with a deviously charming smile. It was twisted. It was adorable.

She held out her sparkle pen and dangled it in front of Roman's face. He watched it swing for a moment, almost as if it was hypnotizing him, and then took it from the girl's grasp. Licking the tip of the pen, he took it to the page and made a dramatic "checkmark" motion as he selected a box. He folded it back up, except taking his time and turning into an origami flower. By the time he finished a woman who smelt of cigarettes and lavender came over to him. He jumped off the bench and left with her without another word.

After taking a while to open up all the stupid folds, Neo was finally able to see her answer. Her face made a satisfyingly twisted smile and she skipped to her next class. He'd said, "yes". 

And thus the beginning of their mutual agreement began.

**Author's Note:**

> It was a little cliff-hanger-y like a past Arkos fic, so, like that one, if y'all like this enough I'll make a continuation. 
> 
> I took inspiration from the manga Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) for the who notebook thing. 
> 
> I absolutely love the unofficial canon that Neo is mute (as of right now to the best of my knowledge it's not confirmed and Neo does have a VA so...). I took about 2-3 years of sign language as a young child so that's always fascinated me about Neo. I mean one of my favorite bada** characters, Nicolas Brown, is deaf so using sign language in a show can be done. *cough*hint hint*cough*
> 
> As for Roman's "aunt", I didn't get too into that honestly for a reason. It's fluff but all I'll say is I like the idea of Roman being an orphan or a foster kid. 
> 
> Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed! Constructive criticism is always appreciated!
> 
> Your Floralist of Ninja,  
> Reba The Mermaid


End file.
